Preparing for the Season of Creation

“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children.”

Joint statement from Pope Francis, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury.

The theme for 2023 is

Let Justice and Peace Flow

Prophet Amos cries out: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24) and so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity. 

The symbol for 2023 is a Mighty River. As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.

“Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19)

Prophet Isaiah proclaims: “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43: 19) Biodiversity is being lost at a rate not seen since the last mass extinction. The futures of young people are threatened by the cascading impacts of the loss of biodiversity and a changing climate.

The urgency grows and we must make visible peace with Earth and on Earth, at the same time that justice calls us to repentance and a change of attitude and actions. As we join the river of justice and peace with others then hope is created instead of despair.

- from the Season of Creation website

This year at St Philip our 9.30 liturgy will incorporate texts from the Season of Creation manual prepared by the Anglican Churchof Southern Africa - the full manual is here. 

Green Anglicans started as the Environmental Network of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and has now spread to Central Africa (Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Zimababwe), Kenya, DRC and Portugal.

Anglican Communion Environmental Network

KAIROS Canada will run one  of its Climate Action Weeks coinciding with the Season of Creation,  11-17 September.